Improvement in water-wheels



NJETERS, PHOTO-THOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, DC.

UNITED STATES.A

RATENTl Orricn.

JAMES PLATT, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-WH EELS.

Specification forming part of LettersA Patent No. 39,831, dated September 8, 1863; antedated April 2, 1863.

To all whom it may concern,.- v

Be it known that I. JAMES PLATT, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Tater-Wheel; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an external view of my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line @a x, Fig. l; Fig. 3, a vertical section of a portion of the same, taken in the line m w, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of horizontal Water-wheels which are provided with movable buckets so arranged as to present themselves at a proper time to the action of the water and receive its impacting force and then move or adjust themselves so as to allow the water to escape freely from the case of the wheel.

The invention consists in a novel and improved arrangement of the buckets and the manner of operating the same, whereby 'but little friction attends the operation ofthe buckets and the wheel rendered extremely simple and durable.

To enable those sinned in the an; to anyv understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents the wheel, which is composed of a circular plate, B, placed on a vertical shaft, C, and provided with rising and falling buckets D D. The plate B has a pendent lip or ledge, ci, all around its edge, and this lip or ledge iits over the upper edge of a cylindrical case, E, which is secured in the lower part of a suitable framing, F. The case E has a chute, G, communicating with it tangentially, and at the center of the case there is an upright hub, H, of slightly conical form, on which the plate B rests. This hub H forms an annular water-passage within the caseE, and the inner side of the chute G extends within the case E to the hub, forming a cut off or an abutment, a", as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The two buckets D D are of curved formand pass through slots b b, made radially in the plate B, the

buckets being equal in length to the space between the inner surface ofthe case E and the exterior of the hub H, and the inner edges of the buckets are made of inclined form or beveling, so as to correspond with the conical form of the hub H and tit snugly to it. The buckets D D are attached to frames I I, which are composed simply of two parallel bars, c c, connected at their outer ends to the plate B, near its edge, by hinges or joints d d, which admit ofthe buckets rising and falling freely in the arc of a circle, and the buckets are curved in such a manner as to correspond to parts of circles of which the frames I are radii. At the inner end of each frame I there is an upright, J, to each of which there is attached horizontally an arbor, e, on which two anti-friction rollers, f j", are placed, the rollers` f being smaller in diameter than the rollers f.

To the framing F there is secured a curved inclined plane, K, on which the smaller rollers, f, work or pass over. This inclined plane K extends around about two thirds the circumference of the case E, and it is of such a form as to cause the buckets to rise and pass over the abutment ax and chute G, and then admit ofthe buckets falling to receive the impacting force of the water that passes through the chute G. The water escapes from the chute through an eduction-opening, g, which is made in the side ot" the case E adjoining the abutment'aX. (See Figs. l and 4.)

To the framing F, above the curved. inclined plane K, there is secured a semicircular plate, L, which has a curved plate, M, attached to it by a hinge or joint, h. This plate M has a spring, N, bearing upon it, said spring having a tendency to keep the plate M forced downward to its fullestextent. The plate M, as the wheel rotates, bears upon theI rollers f and causes the buckets to descend prompt-ly, effectually preventing any sluggish movement thereof from friction or other causes.

To the bottom of the case E there is attached a curved inclined plane., i, which is einployed only as a guard in case of the detachment or breakage of the roller f of either bucket, the inclined planes i raising the buckets so that they may pass over the abutment ax in the'event of the contingency above mentioned. A similar inclined plane, j, is also I would remark that the bottonuofl thecase E may be attached to the shaft C like the plate B. In this case an advantage Would bev obtained by the reduction of the friction on the bearings of the shaft G of the Wheel, as there would be an upward and downward pressure of the Water within the case E, one counteracting the other. The chief advantages of this Wheel over others of a similar kind are the simplicity of the arrangement of the buckets D l), the manner in which they are operated, and the care and certainty with which they Work, all the slamming and con` cussions being avoided.

I do not claim, broadly, a horizontal Water- Wheel` provided-With movable or adjustable buckets irrespective of the arrangement and mode of operating the same, as herein set i forth;,but

I do claim as new and desire toY secure by Letters Patent- 1. The buckets D D of curved form, attached to frames I I, which are connected by joints or hinges d dto thev plate B, in combination with the case E and the curved inclined plane K, all arranged for joint opera- `tion, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination and arrangement ofthe buckets D D, frames I I, plate B, case E, curved inclined planes K, pressure-plate M, attached to the semicircular plate L, and spring N, for the purpose herein specified.

JAMES, BLATT.

Witnesses:

JAMES LAIRD, R. GAWLEY. 

